Dear friends,
Although there still snow on the ground in Kent CT, I feel the spring air coming on. The sun is brighter and it rises earlier, and also I hear the birds singing.
Many people are waiting for spring flowers to bloom. Speaking of spring flowers, first I can imagine cherry blossoms. When feeling a sign of spring, I always become craving a Japanese sweet called sakura-mochi, which is one of the most popular spring confections in Japan. It contains rice cake made from sticky rice flour with red bean paste inside it's wrapped in a salty leaf picked from a cherry blossom tree, which smells fragrant like the cherry blossom leaves. Sakura-mochi is only available in the spring, which make me want it more.
You can purchase sakura-mochi at Japanese sweet shops even in NYC so I urge you try this you will enjoy it. I used to make Sakura-mochi, however, I have been unable to get the ingredients here locally this year.
Sakura-mochi
Simply said the Japanese culture savors all the changes in the seasons. In Japan, people enjoy the seasons not only with food but also poetry and kimono. Seasonal ones are more luxurious than anything else, as we can only be used at that particular time. Seasons are changing anyway. Each moment is different so we should cherish each encounter. It would be wonderful if I could make matcha for you using such a tea caddy pictured below to celebrate the arrival of spring together. I really hope such a day will come very soon.
Kamakura-bori (Sakura floating in the waves) by Hakkodo
All the best,
Kumiko
Edited by Janice Ensminger